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SOTA c28s01
Text Twilight Sparkle carefully finished tightening the straps of the hard plastic boot over Scrivener's foreleg, the stallion groaning in pain as he trembled for a moment before wheezing quietly and mumbling: “You know what? This was a stupid idea.” “Aye, I agree with Scrivener.” Luna groaned from across the library, where she was laying on the bedding on her back and sucking childishly on her front hoof, even though she knew all the agony running through her body was coming from her link with the stallion. The Lich only glared at them both, however, hiding her own pain well... but she clearly could feel it too, from the way she gingerly kept pawing her right hoof at the floor. “We have to try this, at least. Celestia said she doesn't want to make too many assumptions until we... until we know for sure.” Twilight said quietly, and then she sighed and reached up to rub slowly at the stitching across her face: she had felt much of the pain Scrivener and Luna had gone through in the battle with Hollow Star, and the damage feeding through the two ponies had caused her not just considerable discomfort but worn on her body more than a little. But hopefully as they healed, some of her wounds would close completely, and she wouldn't have to walk around feeling even more patchwork than usual. “Test it.” Scrivener glowered at the order, then winced when Twilight glowered grumpily back before he muttered: “Hey, Luna and I were the ones who were poked and prodded all night by Celestia. You got to just sit and watch after you showed up here.” All the same, the stallion carefully stomped the gray boot a few times, and when he didn't feel more than a faint pulse of pain, he hesitantly shifted to put his weight on it... and winced only slightly, looking surprised as he mumbled: “Wow, just feels like a stubbed hoof now. How the hell did you do that?” Twilight only smiled at this, glancing towards the back room and replying: “Don't thank me, thank Celestia. Although I think the salve we put all over your hoof came from a demon's recipe.” Scrivener grunted, looking thoughtfully down at his foreleg as he stomped it absently a few times, then smiled a little again. His shattered, possibly-transforming hoof was covered in some mint-smelling salve, wrapped in some kind of elastic thingy, sealed in a leg-hugging cast, and now covered by this boot. It was supposed to make it bearable to walk around in, even though getting all of it on had been painful beyond measure... and Scrivener sighed a little as he mumbled: “This better heal fast.” “Don't rush it too much, Scrivy. Besides, you might regret saying that if...” Twilight stopped, then she sighed a little and shook her head slowly, looking silently over at Scrivener. The stallion smiled faintly at her, and Luna glanced up quietly from the bedding before the Lich closed her eyes. “No, I'm not going to scold you two. It's... harder to, anyway, when I feel your emotions and everything. I just... at least you're not dying.” “Wow, Twilight, that's an optimistic take on things.” Scrivener said mildly, and Twilight gave him a flat look as Luna giggled a little, then hurriedly looked away when the violet mare shot a sour look at her. Then Twilight sighed a little before glancing over at Scrivener, saying softly: “Look, I... it's just hard to think about. Why does this always happen to you, not Luna?” Luna gave an insulted shout at this, but both she and Scrivener were surprised into smiling as the Lich gave her own small smile. But at the same time, her eyes were asking a serious question, and the charcoal stallion shifted before he sighed and replied softly: “It's because of what I am, I guess... and maybe my exposure to the other cuckoos, or what they were doing, and Clockwork World and... well... we've been through a lot.” He smiled wryly, then shook his head slowly before glancing over at Luna and saying hesitantly: “And we've... we've both changed, if you think about it, Twilight. Luna... might hate me for this, but Nightmare Moon...” “Aye, Nightmare Moon is a part of me... and she certainly showed her own transformation, did she not?” Luna almost shuddered for a moment, then shook her head slowly and looked down, reaching up and touching her chest quietly. “Perhaps Scrivy is right. All of us have changed... we just both hope that... that this does not harm or change thou, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight smiled faintly at this, shaking her head slowly and murmuring: “That's the last thing I'm worried about, honestly. I just... I want you both to be okay. It's really important.” She reached up, rubbing slowly at her breast for a moment before shaking her head and saying finally: “Look, we've got a lot of things to do. Scrivener, Barry sent a letter to me last night, something about the publisher. Celestia has to go back to Canterlot later today, but Cowlick first wants us all to meet with her at the labs, she finally finished analyzing some of the Silverbacks she caught. I know you have to deal with Hollow Star, too, and we need to do a few more tests on you, Scrivener.” The stallion groaned as Luna sighed tiredly, slumping as the Lich looked between them pointedly before the sapphire mare whined: “And what of Celestia? Where does damnable Celestia figure into all this, what nonsense is she up to?” “Sleeping, Luna. Please let her sleep, it's been... so long since she's had a decent night's rest.” Twilight said pleadingly, and Luna glowered even as Scrivener softened, and the Lich held up her hooves when the sapphire mare slowly began to inhale. “Luna, come on! It's been... it's been years and years and years now, you don't have to take every chance to make Celestia miserable!” “That is what siblings do, Twilight, they make each other miserable. 'Tis the greatest source of happiness one sibling can give another, as a matter of fact. Thou would know this if thou would bond more with poor Shiny.” Luna said informatively, and the Lich sighed tiredly before Luna frowned thoughtfully, then turned and called: “Wicked witch! How would thou like to meet a Clockwork Pony, and study thy future enemy? He is an ally, and only half as strong as he once was, but I think all the same 'twill be quite informative!” For a few moments, there was silence... and then Twilight stared in shock at the Destroyer as she emerged from the top of the stairs, the tall, gangly demon muttering: “Do not call me...” She broke off, freezing suddenly up as her eyes locked on Twilight Sparkle, and the two stared at each other for a few moments before Hollow Star whispered almost eagerly: “What powerful magic... and I see a connection. She is a Deathless Knight. I've heard all about them, but in all my years I have never seen someone either so loyal or so foolish to undergo the ritual...” “She is a Lich, not a Deathless, whether or not 'tis an understandable mistake and little more than a matter of semantics.” Luna said sharply, and Hollow Star frowned slightly before the sapphire mare added quietly, as both she and Scrivener turned their gazes to the violet mare: “She is part of my family. She, Scrivener and I are a triad. She is no servant, she is equal to us.” Hollow Star opened her mouth, likely about to spit some mockery, but at the glare Luna favored her with the Destroyer grumbled, then surprisingly simply nodded, saying distastefully: “Fine. I've seen worse. Helheim is full of the sick and the strange and the simply-is.” “That sounds like something Bob would say.” Scrivener muttered, and then he stepped a little closer to Twilight, and the Lich smiled faintly. The stallion hesitated for a moment, but as Luna continued to only glare and growl under her breath at the demon, he decided to push forwards and ask: “Do you want to walk around with us today? We have a lot to do, but... I guess it would be a great way for you to see how things work around here. Meet some ponies and... understand us a little better.” Hollow Star nodded after a moment, then returned her eyes to Twilight, studying her with interest before Luna asked wryly: “I don't suppose that it would be asking thee too much to cloak thy shape and form, would it? Or at least put a paper bag over thy terrible visage, witch. There are foals outside.” The pale-pink demon only glared at Luna in response, and then she snorted in distaste before her horn glowed as she strode calmly down the steps. As she moved, a mane and tail of golden flames burst into life as silver bled out of her skin and formed rapidly into metal, and a moment later, Luna and Scrivener were looking sourly up at the massive, monstrous metallic behemoth they had fought in the cavern, as Twilight gaped in shock. “Am I prettier like this?” “Well, aye, much prettier, but all the same 'tis not what I had in mind.” Luna retorted blandly, before the sapphire mare sighed tiredly and grumbled: “But fine, it will do. At least thou does not have thy stupid chains.” “They are not necessary at the moment, that is all. But rest assured, I've fully healed... we Wrath demons are made for constant war, always ready for more battle, unlike... some softer creatures.” Hollow Star glanced meditatively down at Scrivener's cast, and the stallion grumbled even as he blushed slightly before the demon's eyes surprisingly turned to Twilight, asking almost eagerly: “You understand, don't you, Deathless?” “I uh... well...” Twilight flushed deeply, then she turned quickly away, not even knowing how to respond as Luna glared at Hollow Star and Scrivener stepped comfortingly closer to Twilight. The violet mare smiled faintly, then she shook her head and said awkwardly: “Let's just... head to Cowlick's lab and... we'll see how things are there first.” Luna nodded, then strode quickly forwards, taking the lead. Twilight hurried close behind, and Scrivener limped only slightly behind the Lich as Hollow Star slowly followed last...but the enormous Destroyer was smiling beneath the fierce-looking mask that covered her face, her eyes glowing with growing interest at her new allies. Top ↑